Private Rented Sector Access Officer - Commissioning

This is an exciting opportunity to join Homelessness, Independence and Preventative Services, Property Procurement Accommodation Service, which adopts a preventative approach across the housing, health and social care agendas. Your primary focus will be to assist those in housing need to access Private Rented Sector accommodation to create long‑term sustainable tenancies. You must be professional, energetic and enthusiastic as we are interested in what you can bring to help us improve and develop our services to support landlords and some of our most vulnerable residents. You must be able to learn and develop your knowledge required for this role and be able to travel independently around the Borough.

Responsibilities

• You will liaise with landlords and agents to secure properties in the borough for low‑income homeless households, assess and match customers to suitable properties and ensure tenancies are appropriate, affordable and sustainable.
• You will provide support to prevent customers becoming homeless and help customers secure settled accommodation in the private sector who are already living in temporary accommodation.
• You will have experience of homeless legislation and working with those faced with homelessness, to provide excellent outcomes for vulnerable clients, and high‑quality customer services.
• Assessing customers support needs in a holistic manner and refer to appropriate agencies.
• You will also undertake assessments as to the suitability of our clients to access private rented accommodation and a range of activities to help them resettle into PRS, which will include practical elements of independent living such as paying rent, setting up and managing utilities, liaising with landlords and other agencies.
• Undertake inspections and advise landlords on property standards and adhering to relevant housing and legislative requirements relating to the PRS and produce appropriate schedule of works where required, acting as a point of contact for private landlords.
• Complete sign‑ups with clients including the preparation of appropriate materials including inventories, tenancy agreements and other relevant information.
• Develop and deliver incentives and landlord promotional activities to increase the number of landlords and/or properties on the scheme.

About You

You have experience of working in a customer‑orientated environment involving complex and diverse client groups and can understand and apply relevant legislation in your day‑to‑day work, including landlord and tenant law, homelessness and welfare benefits, while effectively managing customer expectations. You are an excellent communicator to engage effectively with a broad range of people to influence, negotiate, persuade, building trusting relationships and devising value for money solutions to complex problems. You act with integrity, take personal responsibility, work well under pressure and handle stress effectively while maintaining high levels of motivation and enthusiasm to secure new business opportunities using proactive and creative solutions. You work independently, proactively and flexibly, while being highly organised to prioritise conflicting demands, making effective use of IT systems to record concise, factual, information and data. You are a high performing individual who works collaboratively with others, adapting to meet a range of changing needs while achieving targets and service objectives and make the team the very best it can be.

Essential for the Role

• Basic DBS

We would Love To Hear From You

Are you passionate about customer services? Are you an experienced homelessness professional? Are you looking to work in a forward‑thinking and progressive housing department?